1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns improvements in applicator for applying cleaning fluid to exterior surfaces of a vehicle.
2. General Discussion of the Background
In a typical automatic vehicle wash installation, a vehicle is transported on a moving conveyor past various cleaning brushes, liquid applicators, dryers and other cleaning devices. Many of these devices are reciprocated towards and away from the vehicle and into and out of the path of vehicle travel by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders as the vehicle moves through the installation. If fluid or electrical power is interrupted, the heavy cleaning devices can fall onto the vehicle or remain in the vehicle path where they are struck, causing damage to the vehicle.
This problem is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,284, in which a horizontally oriented liquid applicator is suspended from above by a pair of pressure cylinders. The cylinders selectively adjust the height of the applicator to maintain it at a somewhat constant distance above the changing contours of an automobile passing below the applicator. An interruption in the supply of electricity or pressure fluid to the cylinders would immobilize the applicator. If this happens when the applicator is in one of its lowered positions in the path of the advancing vehicle, the vehicle could strike the applicator and be damaged.
Another problem in prior vehicle washes is the difficulty of maintaining a liquid applicator at a substantially constant distance from the surface of a vehicle being cleaned, to assure evenness of liquid application and cleaning. This problem is compounded by the wide variations in the contours of hoods, windshields, roofs and other vehicles surfaces. In the past, electric eyes on the cleaning element have been used to control the movement of the cleaning element in response to these changing contours. U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,284, for example, has electric eyes on the cleaning element for controlling pressure cylinders to raise and lower the cleaning element to clear vehicles passing the cleaning element. However, the applicator in this patent is not understood to have the capability of cleaning front grill and rear bumper areas of a vehicle.
Another problem with prior automated vehicle washes is unique to liquid-applicator type washers in which a cleaning liquid is directed under pressure from a cleaning element toward a vehicle which is being moved past the cleaning element. If liquid is projected vertically downwardly from the applicator, the upright front grill and rear end of the vehicle will not be satisfactorily cleaned. On the other hand, if liquid spray is angled in a fixed direction toward the upright grill of an advancing car, the downwardly inclined rear window area of the car and the upright tail end of the car will not be adequately cleaned. To enhance uniform cleaning, the liquid applicator must apply cleaning liquid to all of these surfaces.
It is one object of this invention to provide a cleaning apparatus for an automated vehicle wash which will not damage an automobile if electrical power or pressure fluid supplied to the apparatus is interrupted.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which maintains a cleaning element at a substantially uniform distance from the changing contours of the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a front, top and rear liquid applicator for a vehicle wash which applies liquid to the changing contours of a vehicle in such a way that cleaning efficiency is enhanced.
These and other objects of the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.